Majority of Consumers Would Trade a Facebook Like for a Discount

Speaking of Facebook likes. . . it’s National Coupon Month and RedPlum has just released the results of their annual Purse String Study. The overwhelming conclusion? People are so used to looking for deals and coupons, it’s “become second nature to them.” But instead of just heading to the newspaper for circulars and inserts, they’re using the internet to save more money and save time.

Here’s the best news for ecommerce folks:

Look at that happy orange strip; 67% of consumers said they’d like a page on Facebook in return for a 25% discount. That’s huge and way more than I would have said if you asked me (which nobody did.) With all the grumbling people do about Facebook, here they are willing to sell their soul vote of confidence in order to save money.

I’m also surprised by the lack of interest on Twitter. To me, Tweeting is fast and it rotates through the feed faster than a Facebook post, but only 17% said they’d be willing to Retweet a deal. Perhaps the numbers are skewed by the number of consumers who aren’t using Twitter, meaning folks who don’t use the service checked the “no” box when they got this survey.

Time is Savings

The survey shows that 62% of people spend up to two hours a week looking for savings and they net around $30.

83% said they regularly share deals and swap coupons with family and friends and that’s worthwhile word of mouth. And I don’t know how they figured it, but they claim that folks who are social and share actually save an extra dollar a week. Hey, that’s a free Diet Coke for me, so I’m in.

Smartphone savers are also on the rise but it’s hardly a common activity.

The majority here are using their smartphone to access a coupon that was in their email, so though it technically counts as mobile usage, it’s not the best use the available technology.

Here are a few more mobile notes:

79% of respondents using more mobile coupons this year are saving up to $50 a week;
82% of respondents who are using more online coupons this year are saving up to $50 a week; and
88% of deal seekers are most likely to visit their favorite savings or deal websites at least weekly.

When I was a kid, the grocery store used to give you back the cash from your coupons. My mother would put that money away in a jar to use for a special family treat. It was “found money” but today only 3% said they used their couponing money to splurge. The majority are pouring it right back into buying the basics and that’s sad.

What’s not sad is that consumers are willing to share the good word about your business in return for a small discount. Sounds like a good deal all around.